Study of international policies, Sweden: National initiatives for reducing the environmental impact of the building sector

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Nr 32

Mauritz Glaumann, Marita Wallhagen

Study of International Policies

SWEDEN

National initiatives for reducing the environmental impact of the building sector

F o U -r a p p o rt

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Study of International Policies SWEDEN

National initiatives for reducing the environmental impact of the building sector

Mauritz Glaumann. Prof, Architect SAR/MSA Marita Wallhagen, Architect SAR/MSA

University of Gävle

2006-11-22

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Content:

SWEDEN – CLIMATIC AND SOCIOECONOMIC DATA ... 3

GOVERNMENT INITIATIVES ... 4

NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL GOALS... 4

Responsibilities... 4

Authorities ... 5

Responsibility ... 5

Environmental indicators ... 6

REGULATIONS... 7

Responsibility ... 7

Energy use regulations ... 8

Subsidies... 8

Energy declaration ... 9

CHEMICALS... 9

TAXES... 12

Green Taxation... 13

KLIMP... 13

OFFICIAL REPORTS... 14

SECTOR INITIATIVES ... 15

THE ECOCYCLE COUNCIL –AUNIQUE FORM OF COOPERATION... 15

BUILDING,LIVING AND PROPERTY – A DIALOGUE PROJECT... 17

What is to be done? ... 18

The commitments ... 18

Aims for the Building/Living project ... 18

BASTA... 19

OTHER NON-GOVERNMENTAL INITIATIVES ... 20

THE SWEDISH ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT COUNCIL... 20

ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT METHODS FOR BUILDINGS... 21

ISO14000 AND EMAS ... 21

ENVIRONMENTAL LABELLING OF BUILDING PRODUCTS... 22

SWEDISH SOCIETY FOR NATURE CONSERVATION... 22

O2 NORDIC... 23

SWEDISH ASSOCIATION OF ARCHITECTS ENVIRONMENTAL GROUP... 23

RESEARCH ... 24

SUSTAINABLE BUILDING PROJECTS... 24

APPENDIX 1 ... 25

Indicator ... 25

Objectives monitored... 25

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Sweden – climatic and socioeconomic data

Latitudes: 56-68^oN

Yearly average temperature: South 7^oC, North 0^oC

Yearly average precipitation: South 600 mm, North 500 mm

Solar insolation: South 1000 kWh/m², North 850 kWh/m² BNPFel! Bokmärket är inte definierat.

: 677917 million SEK Inhabitants¹: 9 103 551

Number of recidential buildings:

Detached houses: 2 007 097 Apartments: 2 396 962

1 www.scb.se, 2006-11-22

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Government initiatives

National environmental goals

²

In 1999, 15 environmental quality objectives were adopted by Parliament. A 16th objective, on biodiversity, was adopted in November 2005. They define the state of environment which environmental policy aims to achieve and provide a coherent framework for environmental programmes and initiatives at national, regional and local level. The objectives, which are aimed to be

reached within a generation, are formulated positively in terms that easily could be understood and communicated to the public.

The environmental quality objectives are:

1. Reduced Climate Impact

Illustrations: Tobias Flygar

2. Clean Air

3. Natural Acidification Only 4. A Non-Toxic Environment 5. A Protective Ozone Layer 6. A Safe Radiation ...

7. Zero Eutrophication 8. Flourishing Lakes and ...

9. Good-Quality Groundwater 10. A Balanced Marine ...

11. Thriving Wetlands 12. Sustainable Forests 13. A Varied Agricultural ...

14. A Magnificent Mountain ...

15. A Good Built Environment 16. A Rich Diversity

For each objective an authority is appointed to formulate measurable indicators and regularly report the progress.

Responsibilities

Environmental Objectives Council

In January 2002 the Swedish Government established the Environmental Objectives Council to promote consultation and cooperation inimplementing the environmental quality objectives adopted by Parliament. The Council consists of representatives of central government agencies, county

administrative boards, local authorities, non-governmental organizations and the business sector. The Council is served by a Secretariat based at the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency.

2 http://www.miljomal.nu/english/english.php

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The principal functions of the Council are:

• to monitor and evaluate progress towards the environmental objectives

• to report to the Government on how efforts to achieve the objectives are advancing and what further action is required

• to coordinate the information efforts of responsible authorities

• to ensure coordination of the regional application of the objectives, and

• to allocate funding for monitoring of progress towards the objectives, environmental monitoring, and reporting at international level.

County administrative boards and municipal authorities Sweden's 21 county administrative boards have overall responsibility for defining and monitoring regional goals relating to the environmental quality objectives. The county administrative boards support the municipalities which have overall responsibility for local adaptation of the national objectives.

Authorities responsible for the environmental objectives A number of national authorities have been given overall responsibility for the environmental quality objectives. This includes proposing and implementing measures as well as monitoring, evaluating and reporting progress.

Authorities Responsibility

Swedish Environmental Protection Agency

Environmental objectives:

Reduced Climate Impact Clean Air

Natural Acidification Only A Protective Ozone Layer Zero Eutrophication

Flourishing Lakes and Streams

A Balanced Marine Environment, Flourishing Coastal Areas and Archipelagos

Thriving Wetlands

A Magnificent Mountain Landscape A Rich Diversity of Plant and Animal Life

Broader issue related to the objectives:

The Natural Environment Swedish Radiation Protection

Authority

Environmental objective:

A Safe Radiation Environment National Chemicals Inspectorate Environmental objective:

A Non-Toxic Environment Geological Survey of Sweden Environmental objective:

Good-Quality Groundwater National Board of Forestry Environmental objective:

Sustainable Forests Swedish Board of Agriculture Environmental objective:

A Varied Agricultural Landscape National Board of Housing, Environmental objective:

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Building and Planning A Good Built Environment

Broader issue related to the objectives:

Land Use Planning and Wise Management of Land, Water and Buildings

National Heritage Board Broader issue related to the objectives:

The Cultural Environment National Board of Health and

Welfare

Broader issue related to the objectives: Human Health

The other authorities responsible for the work in a specific sector also have a responsibility to work with the environmental issues. Banverket³ and the Swedish Road Administration⁴ are two of theses which are involved in the built environment and urban planning. The Swedish Work Environment Authority ⁵ and Swedish Energy Agency⁶ are also involved in the work with a sustainable development in many ways.

Environmental indicators

The Environmental Objectives Portal currently presents more than 80 national indicators tracking progress towards the environmental quality objectives and interim targets.

Each agency is responsible for coordinating, developing and assuring the quality and operational reliability of indicators relating to its own particular environmental quality objective(s), and deciding how these indicators are to be used. Overall coordination is the task of the Environmental Objectives Council.

The county administrative boards have worked together to develop joint indicators at the regional level. Much remains to be done to delimit a core set of carefully selected indicators, which will then guide decisions on what more detailed data needed to be collected and evaluated.

When choosing indicators, it is essential to coordinate as far as possible the data required for monitoring of progress towards the objectives with those needed by other users, especially for purposes of international reporting. This will lay a better foundation for long-term funding. In the short term, the authorities' efforts to develop indicators have focused on securing the necessary supply of data in the most cost-effective way possible. In the

subsequent development of these indicators, there should be a greater focus on customizing them to different target groups, so as to facilitate communication of the results of monitoring.

The indicators that are of importance for the building sector are shown in Appendix 1.

3 http://www.banverket.se/

4 http://www.vagverket.se/

5 http://www.arbetsmiljoverket.se/

6 http://www.energimyndigheten.se/

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Regulations

Responsibility

Based on laws The National Board of Housing Building and Planning (Boverket)⁷ is empowered to issue mandatory provisions and general

recommendations, such as Building Regulations, BBR and Design Regulations, BKR. The provisions are in the form of functional requirements, referring to standards when applicable.

Boverket is responsible for the Environmental Quality Objective "A Good Built Environment":

"Cities, towns and other built-up areas must provide a good, healthy living environment and contribute to a good regional and global environment. Natural and cultural assets must be protected and developed. Buildings and amenities must be located and designed in accordance with sound environmental principles and in such a way as to promote sustainable management of land, water and other resources.”

In more detail the objective outlines a long list of qualities to be reached, ranging from architectural qualities and cultural heritage preservation to a sustainable urban structure in terms of resource conservation, freedom from noise, healthy local climate, good quality public transport, waste recycling and unspoiled countryside.

Interim targets

Interim targets have also been set by the Swedish Parliament, so that by 2010, inter alia,

• land use and community planning will be based on programs and strategies for a varied supply of housing, workplaces, services and cultural activities, in order to reduce transport demand; preservation and enhancement of cultural and aesthetic assets, green spaces and water bodies; promotion of the use of renewable energy resources and development of production plants for district heating, solar energy, biofuels and wind power.

• The number of people who are exposed to traffic noise will have been reduced by 5% compared with 1998.

• Extraction of natural gravel in the country will not exceed 12 million tonnes per year.

• The quantity of waste disposed of to landfill, excluding mining waste, will be reduced by at least 50% by 2005 compared with 1994.

• At least 50% of all household waste will be recycled through materials recovery, including biological treatment.

7 http://www.boverket.se/templates/Page.aspx?id=1697

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• The environmental impact of energy use in residential and commercial buildings will decrease and will be lower than in 1995.

• Radon levels in all schools and pre-schools are below 200 Bq/m³ air

• The new building code was launched in 1^st of July 2006 apart from the chapter 9 about buildings which use electricity for heating. This chapter is still on hearing.

Energy use regulations

From the 1^st July 2006 the demands on maximum energy use in new buildings are:

Residential buildings:

110 kWh/m2,yr for zone south (appr <62^oN) 130 kWh/m2,yr for zone north (appr >62^oN)

75 kWh/m2,yr for buildings with direct electrical heating - zone south 95 kWh/m2,yr for buildings with direct electrical heating - zone north In addition the highest U-value for single parts of the building envelop should not exceed 0,5 W/m²,K.

Localities:

100 kWh/m2,yr for zone south (appr <62^oN) 120 kWh/m2,yr for zone north (appr >62^oN)

In addition the highest U-value for single parts of the building envelop should not exceed 0,7 W/m²,K.

Download

"Legislation The Planning and Building Act. The Act on Technical

Requirements for Construction Works, etc. The Environmental Code." Current wording June 1st 2004. It can be downloaded at

http://www.boverket.se/templates/Page.aspx?id=2323 . Observe that the English version is not the last.

Subsidies

The building stock is divided in dwellings and localities. The National Board of Housing Building and Planning (Boverket)⁸ is responsible for subsidies to the building sector.

Dwellings

• Support for adaptation to disabled people

• Support for building dwellings in areas with shortage or lack of dwellings for students

• Klimp grants – support to municipalities for investments for CO2 reductions (see below)

• Support for conversion from direct electrical heating to heat pumps or bio fuels in residential buildings

8 http://www.boverket.se/templates/Page.aspx?id=1697

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• Support for conversion from fossil fuel heating to heat pumps or bio fuels in single family buildings

• Support for actions to eliminate high radon levels

• Support for erection of multi family houses (will be phased out with the new government)⁹

• Support for installation of solar panels in residential buildings

• Support for arranging source separation in multi family houses Localities

• Support for common meeting rooms i residential buildings

• Support for building cultural localities as theatres and museums that are not owned by the state.

• Klimp grants – support to municipalities for investments for CO2 reductions (see below)

• Support for installation of solar panels in some localities

• Support for installation of solar panels in commercial buildings

• Support for investments meant for increased energy efficiency or for conversion to renewable energy in public buildings

Energy declaration

Because the directive (2002/91/EG) from the European Parliament Sweden like other EU countries is forced to introduce Energy Declarations for Buildings.

The aim is to support energy efficiency while considering a healthy indoor environment and cost efficiency.

The energy performance of a building is the metered energy use for areas heated to at least 10oC. In principle should buildings be declared regarding energy performance along with suggestions for improved efficiency. The regulations are not fully implemented in Sweden yet.

Chemicals

The Swedish Chemicals Inspectorate¹⁰is responsible for the efforts to attain a non-toxic environment in Sweden. The Inspectorate has launched a risk reduction tool called PRIO. This tool is aimed at all companies with an intent to improve their environmental work. PRIO consists of a guide and a database containing about 4,000 dangerous chemical substances. It is a web-based tool intended to be used to preventively reduce risks to human health and the

environment from chemicals. The aim of PRIO is to facilitate in the assessment of health and environmental risks of chemicals so that people who work as environmental managers, purchasers and product developers can identify the need for risk reduction. To achieve this, PRIO provides a guide for decision- making that can be used in setting risk reduction priorities.

9 The guaranteed interest rate is about 3- 4 % at the moment.

10 http://www.kemi.se/default____550.aspx

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The recommendations on which chemicals are prioritised for risk reduction measures are based on the environmental quality objective “A non-toxic environment” adopted by the Swedish parliament and the current proposal for the new EU chemical legislation. Altough PRIO is based on Swedish

legislation and Swedish considerations, PRIO can be used by companies or organisations in other countries as a source of knowledge or inspiration. PRIO can provide help in preparing for the EU’s new chemicals legislation and in the work towards sustainable development.

Substances in PRIO are divided into two levels of prioritisation: phase-out substances and priority risk-reduction substances. The level a substance belongs to depends on the hazardous properties of the substance.

Phase-out substances:

• CMR (carcinogenic, mutagenic or toxic to reproduction, categories 1 and 2)

• PBT/vPvB (persistent, bioaccumulating and toxic/very persistent and very bioaccumulating)

• Particularly hazardous metals (mercury, cadmium, lead and their compounds)

• Endocrine disruptive

• Ozone-depleting

Priority risk-reduction substances

• Very high acute toxicity (health)

• Allergenic

• Mutagenic Category 3

• High chronic toxicity (health)

• Environmentally hazardous, long term effects

• Potential PBT/vPvB

The efforts to avoid and reduce toxic substances in the building sector relates to the PRIO work as far as possible. One example of this is the BASTA project described below under “Buildingsector initiatives”.

Chemicals - Databases

The Swedish Chemical inspectorate also administer a number of databases with information, data and statisticts to help the work towards a non-toxic

environment.

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Databases wholly or partly produced and administered by the Swedish Chemicals Inspectorate.¹¹

Database Description

Classification List

The Classification List contains binding health and/or environmental classifications of 3,300 substances, isomers, closely related substances and other groups of substances, often representing the same "substance". Guide to Swedish search site.

Company register The Company Register contains the names of companies having filed a product report to the Swedish Chemicals Inspectorate. Commercial agents and reported enterprises appear on separate lists.

Flow analyses Flow analyses contain facts on substances and group of substances, for example manufacturing methods, use patterns and physical data. The flow analyses are part of Sweden's official statistics.

KemI-stat KemI-stat is a tool for compiling statistical information based on the data in the Swedish Chemicals Inspectorate´s (KemI) products register and pesticides register.

List of substances The List of Substances contains over 130,000 chemical substances with CAS numbers. Approximately 100,000 of these also have an EINECS number. The register of the list contains 170,000 synonyms.

Guide to Swedish search site.

N-Class The N-Class Database contains information on the classifications of more than 7,000 substances. The data primarily concern environmental effects constituting the basis for classifications and classification proposals.

Classifications of fire and health hazards are also included.

Taxes

The following energy taxes are applied in Sweden:

Table 1. Summary of current taxes and charges applied on energy in Sweden.¹²

Type of tax Tax level Comments

Energy tax and CO₂ tax

Differs among the fossil fuels

Applied on all fossil fuels.

Sulphur tax SEK 30 /kg S Applied on heavy fuel oils, coal and peat. If sulphur is removed from the exhaust gases the tax could be refunded in accordance with that Tax on nuclear

electricity production

SEK

10200/(MWh month)

Applied on nuclear power

Electricity consumer tax

SEK 0,201- 0,261/kWh

Tax on electric power

Electricity consumer tax

SEK 0,005/kWh Tax on electric power used in manufacturing industry and agriculture

Value added tax Applied on all energy consumed

Natural Gravel Tax SEK 13/tonne gravel

On quarried natural gravel Waste tax on

landfills

SEK 435 /tonne of waste

For waste brought into a landfill or at a facility where hazardous waste or other waste exceeding 50 tonnes per year, are deposited or stored for a longer time than tree years.

Pesticide tax SEK 30/kg(active constituent in the pesticide)

Applied on sale or use of pesticides within the country. Wood

preservatives are exempt from the tax.

Property tax 1% of the assessed value

Tax on dwellings and property designated for dwellings Road user charges

(tolls) for foreign and national heavy goods vehicles

Differs For trucks heavier with a total weight exceeding 12 ton.

12 www.skatteverket.se , 2006-11-22

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Green Taxation

The Swedish Environmental protection Agency has been instructed by the Government to analyse various alternative environmental taxes as a basis for Government green taxation proposals for the period 2005-2010 and submit proposed improvements to the effectiveness of green taxes.

Developing a Green tax reform has been under in Developing a Green tax reform is another environmental economic instrument. Taxes on

environmentally harmful activities are increased in exchange for tax reductions on individual earnings.

Shifting the tax burden usually means that higher revenues from environmental taxes are used to offset a reduction in taxes on labour (or other distorting taxes). The effect of a green tax reform is not to increase taxes overall, but to redistribute tax revenues within a given framework, and to use taxation more specifically as an instrument of environmental control. The purpose of redistributing money is to promote environmentally sound activities and choices. Higher environmental taxes will result in a better environment (environmental benefit). In addition, they may benefit society by reducing unemployment (efficiency benefit).

Klimp

The Swedish EPA is granting SEK 317 million to 25 local climate investment programmes (Klimp), and three special projects known as Guldklimpar (“gold nuggets”). The total investment amounts to SEK 1.2 billion. The programmes are taking place throughout Sweden, and are estimated to cut Swedish greenhouse gas emissions by 203,000 tonnes per year, which corresponds to emissions from about 70,000 cars.

“The local climate investments are an important part of work to limit the greenhouse effect and to help us achieve the Swedish climate objective”. More than 40 per cent of the approved funding is earmarked for biogas projects, while about 20 per cent is for investments in district heating. The remaining projects include measures to boost energy efficiency in buildings and industry, improved conditions for cycling and public transport and local information about the climate issue. The players include municipalities, companies, county councils and regional cooperation bodies.

The approved programmes are estimated to cut Swedish greenhouse gas

emissions by 203,000 tonnes per year, of which carbon dioxide makes up about 184,000 tonnes and other greenhouse gases roughly 19,000 (calculated as carbon dioxide equivalents). Nearly half the reduction in emissions will occur in the transport sector. Total energy consumption will fall by about 215,000 MWh, of which about 97,000 MWh is electricity.

The climate investment programme, Klimp, is a type of government funding to municipalities and other local players who make long-term investments to reduce the greenhouse effect. The EPA takes care of the administration of

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Klimp, while the Council for Investment Support (RIS), with members

appointed by the government, decides on the grants. Besides the Swedish EPA, the applications have been assessed by the National Board of Housing,

Building and Planning, the Swedish Energy Agency, the National Road Administration and the National Rail Administration. The climate investment programme was introduced in 2003, and this is the third round of grants to be awarded. The closing date for applications for the next round is 1 November 2006.

In 2005, 51 applications were submitted for funding amounting to SEK 1.3 billion. 25 programmes, as well as three independent ones called Guldklimpar (gold nuggets), are now being granted a total of SEK 317 million in funding.

The programmes are in: Borås, Gothenburg, Helsingborg, Hässleholm, Katrineholm, Knivsta, Kristianstad, Landskrona, Leksand, Lidköping, Lilla Edet, Luleå, Malmö, Olofström, Region Skåne, the Regional Council in Kalmar County, the Östsam Regional Development Council, Stockholm, Svedala, Söderhamn, Tranemo, Trollhättan, Ulricehamn, Varberg and Östersund. The three Guldklimpar are in Svedala, Söderhamn and Örnsköldsvik.

Read more at: http://www.naturvardsverket.se/klimp

Official reports

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A number of Governmental reports about the subject have been published.

Unfortunately we couldn’t find them in English.

Energy declarations

Energideklarationer - Metoder, utformning, register och expertkompetens¹⁴ Miljö- och samhällsbyggnadsdepartementet, Utredningen om byggnaders energiprestanda N 2003:12, Statens offentliga utredningar (SOU) SOU 2005:67 4 augusti 2005

Building declarations

Byggnadsdeklarationer - Inomhusmiljö och energianvändning¹⁵ Miljö- och samhällsbyggnadsdepartementet,

Byggnadsdeklarationsutredningen, Statens offentliga utredningar (SOU) SOU 2004:78 1 juli 2004

Better indoor environment Bättre inomhusmiljö ¹⁶

Miljö- och samhällsbyggnadsdep., Statens offentliga utredningar (SOU) SOU 2005:55 2 juni 2005

13 http://www.sweden.gov.se/sb/d/574

14 http://www.utrikes.regeringen.se/sb/d/108/a/48012

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Sector initiatives

The Ecocycle Council

– A Unique form of Cooperation

The Ecocycle Council is an association of around 30 organizations within the Swedish building and real estate sector. The aim of the organization is “that the building sector, through voluntary efforts, on market grounds and in close co- operation with authorities and legislation, succeeds in conducting credible, effective, co-ordinated and systematic environmental work that results in permanent environmental improvements”.

The history goes back to 1994 when the Swedish government through its

"Ecocycle Commission" established informal contacts with a number of representatives of the building and property sector. To facilitate contacts with the Ecocycle Commission the representatives of the sector took the initiative to set up a network - the Ecocycle Council for the Building Sector. Now a more formal association just called “The Ecocycle Council”. The idea was to enable the sector's many different interested parties to get together to discuss and elaborate on this single issue: How should we formulate producer

responsibility in the building and property sector? Today the aim is broader – that the building sector, through voluntary efforts, should reduce the

environmental impact of the building sector.

The building and real estate sector is of significant importance to society. I n Sweden the building sector occupies around 440 000 people and has a turn around about 40-50 billion Euros. But the sector also stands for a big part, around 40 %, of the use of energy and materials in society but also a

considerable part of the production of waste. This means that the sector has a great environmental impact. But the Swedish building and real estate sector has conducted a unique project – The Environmental program 2003-2010 – trying, on a voluntary basis, to reduce this environmental impact.

The Environmental Program is based on an environmental review which has identified the significant environmental aspects of the building sector. From these significant environmental aspects – The use of energy, The use of materials, The use of hazardous substances and The impact on indoor air quality in buildings – the Ecocycle Council has formulated a number of environmental objectives and a plan of action.

The Environmental Program 2003-2010 was approved by The Ecocycle Council in October 2003.

The Environmental Review 2000

The building sector has on it’s own initiative conducted an environmental review to identify the significant environmental impact of the sector. The study was carried out in accordance with the environmental management principles

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of ISO 14000. The idea was that the environmental review should create a basis for the voluntary undertaking of the sector to ensure “that the building sector, through voluntary efforts, on market grounds and in close co-operation with authorities and legislation, succeeds in conducting credible, effective, co- ordinated and systematic environmental work that results in permanent

environmental improvements". The environmental review is the first study that in a systematic way, and on the basis of environmental management principles, compiles a number of reports and studies into one common environmental review for the entire building sector.

Environmental objectives 1. Energy Conservation 1, Buildings:

• The use of purchased energy per square meter should be reduced by 10% between the years 2000 and 2010 .

• The use of fossil fuels for heating purposes should be reduced by 20%

between the years 2000 and 2010.

2, Civil Engineering Works

• The use of fossil fuels for transports, construction machines and industries within civil engineering works should be reduced by 10%

between the years 2004 and 2010.

2. Economizing with building materials

• To halve the volumes of landfill waste from construction works between 2004 and 2010.

3. Fading out hazardous substances

• The use of hazardous substances within the Building Sector should be reduced to a minimum by the year 2010.

• Latest by the year 2006 the main part (> 3/4) of the relevant building products on the Swedish market should have building product declarations.

4. Secure and sound Indoor Environment

• New buildings should be designed, built and maintained in a way that secures a sound indoor environment.

• Existing buildings that causes health problems should be identified and remedies should be carried out latest by 2010.

The Environmental Program 2003-2010 was approved by The Ecocycle Council in October 2003. Now it’s the mission of all the organizations within

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the Council to inform their members and help them to implement the goals and actions in their businesses.

Plan of action 2003-2010

The Ecocycle Council has formulated more than 20 different projects to support the implementation of the Environmental program. Most of these activities aim to a self-regulation of the processes of the building sector.

Building product declarations

The Ecocycle council is also working with the development of building

product declarations and draw up a proposal for common principles about how information about the building products should be organised and presented.

Building product declarations are meant to gather information about the products use of materials, energy use and lifecycle.

This work has also continued in the building sector. Principles for building product declarations have been developed by SKASKA Sverige partly with grants from Svenska Byggbranschens Utvecklingsfond (SBUF). They have constructed an open database called “Byggarnas BVD-plats”¹⁷ with building product declarations. It is voluntary for companies to make declarations. Today there are 1500 registered building product declarations in the system.

For chemical products there is also a database for the compulsory declarations with safety-data-instructions (säkerhetsdatablad), “Byggarnas VIB-plats”.

Today there are approximately 7000 registered declarations.

Building, Living and Property – a dialogue project

¹⁸

The dialogue project Building, Living and Property Management for the Future is a unique cooperation between companies, municipalities and the

Government with the purpose to achieve a development of a sustainable building and property sector in Sweden. By the means of this dialogue, the parties have reached a voluntary agreement to take concrete measures for a sustainable development.

The dialogue project Building/Living has three prioritised areas:

• Healthy indoor environment

• Efficient use of energy

• Efficient resource management

17 http://www.byggarnas-bvdplats.com

18 http://www.byggabodialogen.se/EPIServer/templates/Page.aspx?id=123

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We would like our website visitors to understand what the dialogue project Building/Living implies in order for us to achieve a sustainable building and property sector, with an emphasis on the three prioritised areas. The website will also provide the visitor with news on how the sector deals with

management issues and the sustainable development of the building and property sector.

What is to be done?

In the “Building/Living Project”, the Government, together with companies and municipalities, have expressed a number of aims that they wish to achieve.

The actors have signed an agreement on concrete efforts that are now being implemented

The commitments

Concrete efforts – the 7 areas The commitments that the actors sign are divided into seven areas that are concluded in the following recommendations:

• Plan for sustainable community planning!

• Adopt a holistic view for the entire life-cycle of the building structure!

• Establish quality and efficiency in the construction and property management processes and furnish new warranties for sustainable development!

• Property management with consideration to energy and environment!

• Classify buildings!

• Invest in research, development and training for sustainable building and property sector!

• Do follow-up and evaluation work!

Aims for the Building/Living project

The aims encompass anything from the amount of disposed waste, tapped pit run, substances dangerous to the environment, health issues related to

buildings, the use of chemicals - to the strain on the environment from energy application. Therefore, there are obvious connections to the national

environmental quality aims that the Swedish Parliament and Government have developed.

The “Building/Living” goals – goals that have been formulated within “the Project for Building, Living for a Sustainable Building and Property Sector in Trust for the Future”.

1. The environmental stress from the energy application in homes and premises is decreasing and no later than 2025, heating and water heating will be made using only limited elements of fossil fuels. No later than 2015 more than half of the annual energy need will come from renewable energy sources.

2. The use of purchased energy in the sector will decrease with at least 30 % until the year of 2025 compared to 2000. The energy application is lower in 2010 than it was in 1995.

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3. No later than 2005 there will be information adapted for the sector that will make it feasible not to choose construction material/constructional design which contain or are the cause of known substances which are health-impairing or dangerous to the environment.

4. No later than 2009, all newly built houses and 30% of the existing ones will be declared and classified as to the effect on health and environmental issues related to buildings.

5. The building and property sector is phasing out the use of substances and metals that are included in the Government’s guidelines for chemical application at least at the rate as is stated in the Government proposal 2000/01:65 Chemical strategy for a non-poisonous environment.

6. The quantity of disposed waste², mine waste not included, will decrease with at least 50% to 2005 counting from the levels of 1994, while the total quantity of generated waste will not increase. No later than the year of 2010, disposed waste from new constructions and reconstructions, property maintenance and demolished houses will amount to no more than 25% measured in tons from the levels of 1994. In 2025 no more than 10% will be disposed.

7. In 2010 the tapped pit run in the country will not be more than 12 million tons per year and the share of recycled materials will amount to at least 15% of the ballast application.

1The goals for the ”Building/Living” project refer to the companies and municipalities that participate in the ”Building/Living” project. Comments to goals number 1, 2, 5, 6 and 7 can be found in the memorandum of

“’Building/Living’ goals – Goals for Building, living and sustaining estates for the future – the use of energy, controlled tipping, and tapped pit run”, which can be received from the Ministry of the Environment. It can also be found as Annex 1 to the final report of “Building, living and sustaining estates for the future”. It should be noted that the goals and subdivided goals regarding environmental quality that are valid today, 2003 can be subject to completion by the Parliament.

2 Includes all waste, also domestic wastes

Basta

¹⁹

There is a great need to reduce the use of hazardous substances in construction products and chemical products. In the BASTA system, the Swedish

construction sector has agreed on a common definition of the substance properties for the decision as to whether a product is to be accepted or not.

These substance properties are based on the plans in the forthcoming REACH regulation. The burden of proof in the BASTA system is put on the supplier, who has to confirm whether the product meets the criteria or not. A system of self-declaration of this kind needs to be supplemented by a quality assuring

19 http://www.bastaonline.se/2.4788e15710c6d12e91380002305.html

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auditing, and the BASTA project has drawn up the procedures to ensure that such validation can be carried out in a credible and cost-effective way.

For the dissemination of the suppliers' assessed products the BASTA project has developed a web-based database.

The industry standard for properties criteria has been developed with broad endorsement by large parts of the Swedish construction sector, which is crucial to the future success of the system. It has been possible for this to be done through great openness in the drafting of these criteria.

The validation method that is to assure the system of credibility consists

principally of two parts: firstly requirements relating to the supplier´s expertise, documentation and organisation, which are collated in a contractual document which each participating supplier signs, and secondly random-sample audits of the suppliers´ data.

Other Non-Governmental initiatives The Swedish Environmental Management Council

²⁰

The Swedish Environmental Management Council (SEMC) is a company owned jointly by the Swedish Government, the Confederation of Swedish Enterprises and the Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions.

The overall aim of the activities of the Council is to help and support private and public organisations to implement and carry out a systematic and

progressive environmental work towards a sustainable development.

The Swedish Environmental Management Council administrates three tools – EMAS and EPD for improving and communication about the environmental performance of organisations and products/services and EKU for product- related guidance about ecologically conscious procurement.

The rationale of the Swedish Environmental Management Council is to provide a neutral platform stimulating a dialogue between all actors in society – from authorities, the business sector, non-governmental organisations as well as environmental organisations. The activities of the Council are carried out based on a broad consensus among different stakeholders in the field of

environmental management both nationally and internationally.

20http://www.miljostyrning.se/eng/

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Environmental assessment methods for buildings

A number of methods for environmental assessment of buildings and/or building materials have been developed mostly by different companies active in the sector. They vary from simple checklists to sophisticated LCA tools and cover things like investigation of existing buildings. Year 2005 35 such

Swedish methods were identified of which 27 were more actively used²¹ mainly by different enterprises. The only one with a more holistic and scientific approach is the EcoEffect method developed by KTH and the University of Gävle²².

This area is still under development and very slowly penetrating the market.

The more sophisticated tools can more be looked upon as learning instruments about the relation between buildings and environmental impacts while the simpler are practicable but often trustworthy.

A broad new cooperation between the building sector and the academic world started a year ago aiming at developing a compromise between sophistication and simplicity regarding environmental assessment of buildings. This new method, “Environmental classification of buildings” is planned to be launched in the end of 2007. Since many representatives from the sector are involved in the development work it is expected to that this method, which is linked to the

“Building, Living, Property” project mentioned above, will be widely used in the future.

ISO 14000

²³

and EMAS

²⁴

There are environmental management systems which are used in the building sector and by other companies. The most common are ISO 140001 and EMAS.

Many companies that are not certified have their own system built on the same principles. A lot of companies in Sweden are ISO 14001 certified. Sweden has the highest amount of certified companies in relation to the number of

inhabitants. It’s more common with ISO 14001 certification than EMAS- certification.

21 Sundkvist Å et al (2005). Miljöklassning av byggnader – identifiering av metoder och intressenternas behov. KTH Samhällsplanering och miljö. Miljöstrategisk analys – fms.

22 http://www.ecoeffect.org

23 http://www.sis.se/DesktopDefault.aspx?tabname=%40iso14000

24 http://www.emas.se/

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Environmental labelling of building products

There are three environmental labels available in Sweden. “Good Environmental Choice” is launched by the Swedish Society for Nature Conservation²⁵. They have almost no labels for building products apart from electricity and an impregnation for concrete. The Swan is a Nordic Ecolabel²⁶. They have labels for a few building products as fibre board, gypsum board, chipboard, biofuel, boilers, fireplaces, white wares, impregnated wood, kitchen appliances and windows. The Flower is the European Ecolabel²⁷. They have labels for household appliances like dishwashers, refrigerators, vacuum cleaners and washing machines. They also have labels for indoor paints and varnishes.

Environmental Product Declarations (EPD)²⁸ administered by the The Swedish Environmental Management Council mentioned above are not environmental labels but can serve a similar purpose since all emissions and use of energy and materials should be declared. EPDs exist for particle boards, cement, concrete, glass, clay bricks, pellets, washing machines, fridge/freezers, district heat, electricity and solid waste treatment.

For wood products the labelling The Forest Stewardship Council²⁹ (FSC) is used. The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) promote environmentally appropriate, socially beneficial, and economically viable management of the world's forests. FSC in Sweden, called Svenska FSC, is a national based, not for profit organization and one of FSCs national initiatives, often referred to as NIs.

Swedish Society

for Nature Conservation

Today the Swedish Society for Nature Conservation (SSNC) is the biggest nature conservation and environmental organisation in Sweden with 170 000 members and 274 local branches across the whole country.

The SSNC was established in 1909. At that time an elite group was concerned about the increasing degradation of Sweden's nature and wildlife due to rapid industrialisation. Until a few decades ago, the activities of the SSNC were primarily focused on national, i e Swedish, environmental issues and traditional conservationist concerns. In 1990 funds from the Swedish International Development Co-operation Agency (Sida) made it possible for the SSNC to cross borders and begin collaboration with environmental organisations in Europe and in the South.

The organisation works with building related issues when they interfere with environmental conservationist concerns. For example are they involved in

25 http://www.snf.se/english.cfm

26 http://www.svanen.nu/Eng/default.asp

27 http://www.eco-label.com/default.htm

28 http://www.environdec.com/page.asp?id=105&menu=3,9,0

29 http://www.fsc-sweden.org/

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promoting Forest certifiation according to FSC, Forest Stewardship Council. Sweden has by now the world's largest area of FSC-certified forest.

O2 Nordic

³⁰

O2 Nordic is a network of people working active with design for a sustainable development. The network is organised as an economic organisation/förening with the headquarter in Gothenburg. O2 Nordic is part of the international O2 network. (www.o2.org)

O2 Nordic Mission Statement:

We believe that the development of a sustainable future is the greatest and most inspiring design challenge of our time.

O2 Nordic aims to influence and inspire industry to look at sustainability as a business opportunity, and authorities to formulate a clear and attractive sustainability vision.

O2 Nordic connects people in Sweden as well as between the Nordic countries as a permanent meeting place and a place for action.

Swedish Association of Architects Environmental group

³¹

The Environmental group in the Swedish Association of Architects are working with ecological, environmental and sustainable issues in the building and planning processes.

30 www.o2nordic.org

31 http://www.arkitekt.se/miljo

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Research

There is a lot of research being done in the field of sustainable building and planning in Sweden. The main researchfounds supporting and giving grants to researchprojects in the field of sustainable building and planning are

FORMAS³², VINNOVA³³, NUTEK³⁴, Energimyndigheten³⁵, Mistra³⁶, ARKUS³⁷.

Sustainable building projects

Designing houses and planning to build a more sustainable society have been on the agenda in many projects in Sweden the last 30 years, but still there is more to be done. In the book “SAR:s Ekoguide”³⁸ you can read about 150 of these projects. Larger developments with sustainable ideas that have been most recognised are Bo 01³⁹, Lindås⁴⁰, Hammarby Sjöstad⁴¹.

32 http://www.formas.se/

33 http://www.vinnova.se/

34 http://www.nutek.se/

35 http://www.energimyndigheten.se/

36 http://www.mistra.org/

37 http://www.arkus.se/

38 SAR:s Ekoguide: Insikt 150 ekologiska byggnader i Sverige, Sören Thurell, Byggförlaget 1996, Stockholm, ISBN 91-7988-146-7

39

http://www.malmo.se/miljohalsa/projektnatverk/projekt/vastrahamnenbo01/faktabladbo01.4.31 4d1c9210a454075d480001445.html, 2006.11.22

40 http://www.miljoportalen.se/bo-leva/boende/varma-hus-utan-uppvaermning, 2006.11.22

41 http://www.stockholm.se/Extern/Templates/Page.aspx?id=45463, 2006.11.22

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Appendix 1

Environmental indicators for the Swedish environmental quality objectives that are related to the building sector

Indicator Objectives monitored

Allergenic chemical products A Non-Toxic Environment

People with allergy or asthma who report nuisance due to air pollutants

Clean Air

Benzene in air Clean Air

A Good Built Environment Nuisance from vehicle exhaust gases Clean Air

Symptoms attributed to indoor environments A Good Built Environment Nuisance from transport noise A Good Built Environment

Nuisance from wood smoke Clean Air

Homes with damp and mould A Good Built Environment

Historic buildings A Good Built Environment

CMR substances in products A Non-Toxic Environment

Energy use Reduced Climate Impact

Clean Air

Natural Acidification Only A Safe Radiation Environment Flourishing Lakes and Streams Thriving Wetlands

A Good Built Environment Exposure to environmental tobacco smoke A Good Built Environment

Contaminated sites A Non-Toxic Environment

Acidified forest soils Natural Acidification Only

Sustainable Forests

Acidified lakes Natural Acidification Only

Old forests Sustainable Forests

Gravel use A Good Built Environment

Gravel extraction in important groundwater areas Good-Quality Groundwater A Good Built Environment

Household waste A Good Built Environment

Hard dead wood Sustainable Forests

Chemical products hazardous to health A Non-Toxic Environment

Greenhouse gas emissions Reduced Climate Impact

Chlorine and bromine emissions A Protective Ozone Layer

Hydrocarbon emissions Clean Air

Municipal cultural environment programmes A Good Built Environment Municipal programmes for green areas and aquatic areas A Good Built Environment Municipal transport programmes A Good Built Environment

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Nitrogen dioxide in air Clean Air

NOx emissions Natural Acidification Only

Clean Air Zero Eutrophication Environmental management systems A Non-Toxic Environment

Nitrogen deposition Natural Acidification Only

Flourishing Lakes and Streams Good-Quality Groundwater Sustainable Forests

A Magnificent Mountain Landscape

Sulphur deposition Natural Acidification Only

Flourishing Lakes and Streams Good-Quality Groundwater Sustainable Forests

A Magnificent Mountain Landscape

Nickel allergy A Non-Toxic Environment

Ozone in air Clean Air

PM10 particles in air Clean Air

Radon in drinking water A Good Built Environment

A Safe Radiation Environment Good-Quality Groundwater Radon in apartment buildings A Good Built Environment

A Safe Radiation Environment

Radon in schools A Good Built Environment

A Safe Radiation Environment

Radon in houses A Good Built Environment

A Safe Radiation Environment Prohibitions on demolition of buildings A Good Built Environment

New buildings near the sea shore A Balanced Marine Environment, Flourishing Coastal Areas and Archipelagos

New buildings near lake shores and river banks Flourishing Lakes and Streams

Sulphur dioxide in air Clean Air

Sulphur dioxide emissions Natural Acidification Only Clean Air

Sleep disturbance from transport noise A Good Built Environment

Nitrogen entering coastal areas Zero Eutrophication

A Balanced Marine Environment, Flourishing Coastal Areas and Archipelagos

UV radiation A Protective Ozone Layer

Groundwater protection areas Good-Quality Groundwater

Plant protection products A Non-Toxic Environment

A Varied Agricultural Landscape Flourishing Lakes and Streams Good-Quality Groundwater

Recycling of glass A Good Built Environment

Recycling of metal A Good Built Environment

Recycling of paper/cardboard A Good Built Environment

Recycling of plastic A Good Built Environment

Recycling of corrugated cardboard A Good Built Environment

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Tidigare FoU-rapporter:

21. Mickelsson K: STORA förändringar, En bild av verksamheten vid Stora Cell 1990-1995.

Institutionen för ekonomi, 2003

22. Prytz K: Om att intressera för fysik. Institutionen för matematik, natur- och datavetenskap. 2003.

23. Prytz K: Numerical Solution to the coupled integro-differential Equations of Quantum Chro- modynamics. Institutionen för matematik, natur- och datavetenskap. 2003.

24. Prytz K: Electrolocation of the Weak Electric Fish. Institutionen för matematik, natur- och datavetenskap. 2004.

25. Johansson H, Windhorst U, Djupsjöbacka M, Passatore M (red): Kronisk arbetsrelaterad muskelsmärta – Neuromuskulära mekanismer bakom arbetsrelaterade kroniska muskulära smärtsyndrom. Belastningsskadecentrum 2004.

26. Hussain I: What can be learnt by economy-wide models of transport investment planning?

Institutionen för Ekonomi 2004.

27. Brandt S A: Översvämningsmodellering i GIS.

Betydelse av höjdmodellers upplösning appli- cerat på Eskilstunaån – ett delprojekt i KRIS- GIS. Institutionen för teknik och byggd miljö 2005.

28. Wijk K, Gävert M: Hälsofrämjande verksamhet på arbetsplats - formativ utvärdering av imple- menteringsfasen. Institutionen för pedagogik, didaktik och psykologi 2006.

29. Wijk K, Halling B: Att väcka den björn som sover – reflektion över planering och implementering av en hälsointervention på en arbetsplats.

Institutionen för pedagogik, didaktik och psykologi 2006.

30. Hjelmblom (f. Blom) M: Deontic Action-Logic Multi-Agent Systems in Prolog.Institutionen för matematik, natur- och datavetenskap. 2008.

31. Hult M, Malmqvist T: Miljövärdering av bebyg- gelse. Innemiljövärdering. EcoEffekt-metoden.

Institutionen för teknik och byggd miljö 2008.

Kopior av publikationer kan beställas från:

Forskningssekretariatet Högskolan i Gävle 801 76 Gävle

mail: registrator@hig.se

Förteckning över samtliga FoU-rapporter finns på:

www.hig.se/forskning/forskning/publicerat.htm

Tryck

Reproavdelningen Högskolan i Gävle

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Utgiven av:

Utbildnings- och forskningskansliet Högskolan i Gävle

Augusti 2008

801 76 Gävle

Besöksadress: Kungsbäcksvägen 47 Telefon: 026-64 85 00 Fax: 026-64 86 86